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Age-Friendly group to launch borough newsletter, pilots lockbox program
Summary
Age Friendly Frenchtown told the council it has reprogrammed grant funds to launch a borough-owned newsletter called the 'Frenchtown Sun,' fund a six-month run and pilot programs including 'Operation Blue Angel' lockboxes and a Constant Contact outreach platform.
Frenchtown — Age Friendly Frenchtown said it will launch a borough-owned monthly newsletter, the Frenchtown Sun, and begin implementing early-action programs after a grant modification was approved.
"We did have a great town hall at the legion. We had 60 people there," Jean Herb, representing Age Friendly Frenchtown, told the council. She said the group successfully reprogrammed grant funds that must be encumbered by June 30 and will use the money to start several initiatives immediately.
Herb outlined two items the group is ready to begin: Operation Blue Angel, a program to place lockboxes at homes of older or disabled residents to allow police entry during emergencies, and a Constant Contact communications platform to improve outbound notices and emergency alerts. "Communications was, I would say, the number 1 thing that we heard from residents," she said.
On the newsletter, Herb said Maria Quailin, who works at Princeton University Press, will serve as editor and the team includes local volunteers and planning-board members. The first issue is planned for April; reprogrammed funds cover six months of publication. Herb said the group will apply to the Fargo Family Foundation for funding to continue the project for another year and explore sustainability through advertising and subscriptions.
The newsletter will be a borough publication — not an independent paper — and will include a community calendar and entries from civic organizations, the borough council, business associations and local commissions. Herb said the first edition will include council headshots and short bios to address resident feedback that people "don't know who's who." She requested a council liaison to the newsletter team.
The council expressed support and the presenters said they will begin work immediately on content, distribution and outreach signups for Constant Contact.
